Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Fluorescence-based Neuraminidase Inhibition Assay to Assess the Susceptibility of Influenza Viruses to The Neuraminidase Inhibitor Class of Antivirals
09:31

Fluorescence-based Neuraminidase Inhibition Assay to Assess the Susceptibility of Influenza Viruses to The Neuraminidase Inhibitor Class of Antivirals

Published on: April 15, 2017

Oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in Dutch travellers returning from Spain, August 2012

A Meijer1, M Jonges, P van Beek

  • 1Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. adam.meijer@rivm.nl

Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles = European Communicable Disease Bulletin
|September 14, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Two Dutch travellers contracted oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infections. The neuraminidase H275Y substitution suggests potential for widespread emergence of resistant strains.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Epidemiology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 is a significant human pathogen.
  • Oseltamivir is a key antiviral medication used for influenza treatment.
  • Neuraminidase inhibitors are crucial for managing influenza outbreaks.

Observation:

  • Two unrelated Dutch travellers were diagnosed with oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in August 2012.
  • Infections were likely acquired during separate holidays on the Catalonian coast, Spain.
  • No prior oseltamivir treatment or epidemiological link was identified between the cases.

Findings:

  • Genetic analysis identified the H275Y substitution in the neuraminidase gene, conferring oseltamivir resistance.
  • Permissive mutations were also detected, potentially facilitating the emergence and spread of resistant strains.
  • This indicates a spontaneous emergence of resistant influenza strains independent of patient treatment.

Implications:

  • The findings highlight the potential for rapid evolution of antiviral resistance in influenza viruses.
  • This underscores the need for continuous surveillance of drug-resistant influenza strains.
  • Public health strategies may need to adapt to the growing threat of oseltamivir-resistant influenza.

More Related Videos

Avian Influenza Surveillance with FTA Cards: Field Methods, Biosafety, and Transportation Issues Solved12:09

Avian Influenza Surveillance with FTA Cards: Field Methods, Biosafety, and Transportation Issues Solved

Published on: August 2, 2011

An Optimized Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) Assay to Quantify Influenza-specific Antibody Titers06:34

An Optimized Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) Assay to Quantify Influenza-specific Antibody Titers

Published on: December 1, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Influenza01:27

Influenza

Influenza is an acute, highly communicable viral disease that affects the respiratory tract and is responsible for seasonal epidemics worldwide. Influenza A is the most prevalent type associated with widespread outbreaks and is subtyped based on two surface glycoproteins: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), as in H1N1. These glycoproteins are essential for viral infectivity, transmission, and immune recognition. Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets and contaminated...
Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence01:28

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence

Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.